Ombudsman has no jurisdiction over Kian killing: DOJ

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

Mourners display a picture of Kian delos Santos, a 17-year-old student who was shot during anti-drug operations during his burial in Caloocan, Saturday. Romeo Ranoco, Reuters

MANILA - Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Monday that it is his office which has jurisdiction over the police killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos -- not the Office of the Ombudsman, as claimed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.

The justice chief said the Ombudsman only handles cases against public officials with a salary grade of 27 and above. The officials tagged in the August 16 raid that killed Delos Santos earns less than this.

Aguirre also maintained that Delos Santos' death was an "isolated case" as he was the only one killed out of the 518 minors arrested in drug operations across Metro Manila.

He added that the incident was "blown out of proportion" by rights activists and religious groups, which he said stayed silent in crimes committed by drug suspects, like the massacre of 5 members of a family in Bulacan.